Opportunities in the electrowinning of molten titanium from titanium dioxide

Abstract

The value chain of titanium products shows that the difference between the cost of titanium ingot and titanium dioxide is about $9/kg titanium. In contrast, the price of aluminum, which is produced in a similar way, is only about $1.7/kg. Electrowinning of molten titanium from titanium dioxide is therefore believed to have significant potential to reduce the cost of titanium products. The process is hampered by the high operating temperatures and sophisticated materials of construction required; the high affinity of titanium for carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen; and physical and chemical properties of the different titanium oxide species when reducing titanium from Ti4+ to metallic titanium.